University Libraries Provide a New Look for e-Journal Access in the Online Catalog

Users seeking electronic journals through the University Libraries’ online catalog, CardCat, have undoubtedly noticed a change in the way their search results are presented. Formerly, it was common practice to find a record on which multiple formats, print and electronic, were consolidated. Current searchers will discover separate entries for multiple formats, with e-journals now having a record of their own. These records are often identified by the presence of the word “Online” in parentheses following the title.

An even more significant improvement is within the bibliographic record itself. Now each record for an e-journal contains a single, convenient link to the University Libraries’ familiar MultiLink interface. MultiLink searches the Libraries’
e-collections for available full-text and will display multiple options for full-text access when available. Rather than seeing a list of various electronic links, users can now click one easily identified link to take advantage of the complete range of electronic full-text options offered by the University Libraries.

This results from the University Libraries’ relationship with SerialsSolutions, Inc., a Seattle-based e-resource access and management service provider. SerialsSolutions provides the University Libraries with the MultiLink and MultiSearch services. Bibliographic records in CardCat have been integrated into these services. From a user perspective, this results in a unified presentation of e-journal information. Whether users are searching for e-journals through CardCat, Citation Linker, the e-journals list, or MultiSearch, the results are displayed in the same way.

As a result of this integration, there are significant benefits to both users and librarians. All of the University Libraries’ e-journal services are now driven by the same underlying database that is maintained by SerialsSolutions, Inc. Rather than maintaining a separate database of electronic access points within CardCat, serials cataloging personnel can now perform all necessary maintenance within the SerialsSolutions database itself. This kind of “one-stop shopping” dramatically increases the efficiency of e-journal management and should greatly improve users’ success in obtaining electronic full-text.

University Libraries’ Online Catalog CardCat Gets New Look and Feel

Ball State University students, faculty, staff, and guests using CardCat, the University Libraries’ online catalog, will notice a new look and feel to the catalog at the start of Spring Semester. James W. Hammons, Head of Library Technologies, unveiled the redesigned catalog at a presentation for Libraries’ personnel on Thursday, December 17, 2009.

Major highlights of the new interface include these:

• Bookmarking of any page and easily viewing permanent links. Before, because each CardCat session has a different URL, users could not reliably bookmark items or search results. This new feature allows users to add bookmarks with a single mouse click or to view a persistent link to items or search results.

• Permanent Lists, for logged-in users. Users now have the ability to create, modify, and view lists of items without losing the lists after ending a CardCat session. Users can create several different lists. Temporary lists will still be available as well, for both logged-in and guest users.

• A new look and feel to the My Account section. Checkouts, holds, and bookings will display on different tabs, include links to item details, and feature sortable columns.

Throughout CardCat, users will notice a more streamlined look and feel, with text links replacing images, and design elements featured in other University Libraries’ services. Many customizations that the Libraries have added to CardCat will also appear in the new version, such as links to GoogleBooks and HathiTrust.

CardCat is the Libraries’ implementation of SirsiDynix’s e-Library, which replaces SirsiDynix’s iLink. Jim Hammons expects to put the new version of CardCat into production during the last week of December 2009. In addition to James W. Hammons, Katie M. Bohnert (in her previous position as Library Technologies Support Analyst), and Robert L. Seaton, Web Development Analyst, contributed to this project.

For more information, contact James W. Hammons, Head of Library Technologies, JHammons@bsu.edu, 765-285-8032.

Students, Faculty Can Use their Ball State Computer Account to Log in to the Libraries’ Online Public Catalog

In June 2007, the University Libraries introduced new features of the University Libraries’ online public catalog, CardCat, to give library users more control over their individual library accounts.

Ball State students, faculty, staff, and retirees can log in to CardCat using the same Ball State computer user name and password they use for Outlook e-mail and many other online campus services. While logging-in is optional, there are two major advantages to doing so:

• Logging-in makes the “My Library Account” link available from all screens without having to log in a second time. A redesigned account page consolidates information about items checked out, active hold/recall requests and scheduled video bookings on a single page. It is now possible to renew items on this page, too.
• Logging-in allows users to place recall/hold requests directly from CardCat. When an item is checked out, the left side of the detailed record view displays a “Recall/Hold Request” link. After clicking the link, you will have a chance to specify a pickup library and, optionally, enter an expiration date or “suspension dates.” Clicking “Place Hold” confirms the request. You can then check My Library Account to monitor your position in the holds queue or edit the hold.

More details and answers to frequently asked questions about these features are available at http://liblink.bsu.edu/iBistro_helps/English/loginfaq.htm.

In speaking about this initiative, Dr. Arthur W. Hafner, Dean of University Libraries, said “The success of this project is due in large part to the tremendous work of Jim Hammons of our Library Information Technology Services (LITS) unit. He solved the problem of how to use BSU e-mail credentials (name, password) to log on to CardCat.”

I collaborated with library information technology personnel at Vanderbilt University, Brigham Young University, and SirsiDynix Corporation to develop a log in solution using a common protocol known as LDAP (lightweight directory access protocol) and the Perl programming language. Additional support was provided by Katie Bohnert, also of LITS, and Daniel K. Fortriede of Ball State’s University Computing Services.

This initiative represents another example of where University Libraries’ personnel strive to make the Libraries’ programs, services, and collections easier to use and more responsive to the Ball State community. Early results are promising since there is data to show that hold requests in June increased 26% from the previous year.

For more information, contact James W. Hammons, Ball State University Libraries’ Head of Library Enterprise Services and Systems, JHammons@bsu.edu,
(765) 285-8032.